Endings, Beginnings, and Everything In Between
by bananafishies
Summary: What happened during and after that night that decided Todd and Lovett's fate? Perhaps they lived happily ever after. Perhaps not. This fic will probably be fairly long, with some funny bits and some romantic bits and everything else mixed in.
1. Endings

A small, sad smile crossed Mrs. Lovett's face as she watched Toby carefully slam shut the oven door. He glanced up, hoping he had won her approval. She smiled at him, and he looked proud. "Now, love," she said, "I'll be back, soon, all right?"

Quickly she left the scene of her crime. She slammed and locked the door behind her, then leaned against it, tears forming in her eyes. Sighing, she made her way up the steps to find Mr. Todd. He would know what to do next.

She found him pacing, awaiting the arrival of the judge. Instead, the beadle came first. Sweeney, smiling darkly, led him upstairs. Mrs. Lovett, hearing the thump, raced downstairs. She unlocked the door. "Toby!" she called softly. "Where are you, love?"

Sweeney joined her. When they found no sign of Toby, he scowled and, muttering, went back upstairs. Mrs. Lovett disposed of the beadle's body in the flames. As soon as the last of the body burned, she put out the fire and slammed the door shut once more. She heard a scream followed by a thump, and, expecting to see the judge, turned excitedly. Instead, Mrs. Lovett screamed when she saw a woman's body. The judge followed almost immediately, mutilated beyond belief.

Sweeney flung the door open. "What? What happened?"

"Th-the judge-'e grabbed my skirt. 'Ere, let's get rid of these bodies."

Mrs. Lovett began to drag the woman's body. Sweeney snarled, "I'll get it."

And then he saw the face.

Mrs. Lovett knew it was over. He had found his Lucy. Sweeney stared at her, horrorstruck, before he leaped at Mrs. Lovett. She started sobbing and screaming excuses. To her surprise, he grabbed her waist and spun her around the room in a wild waltz. Still she sobbed. This couldn't be happening-surely she wasn't forgiven

She was right. Sweeney flung her at the oven, a cruel smile twisting his face as he heard her scream, watched her flail around, listened as her head cracked against something hard. He made sure the oven was shut before turning to his Lucy once more.

Tears filled his black eyes as he watched the ruby drops dry in her yellow hair. "Lucy…" he whispered. He listened as Toby crept rather noisily behind him. He listened as Toby found the dropped razor. He listened to Toby's ragged breathing and closed his eyes as the sharp blade split his skin.He was still listening when Toby walked away.

In his haste, the child hadn't cut nearly deep enough to kill Sweeney, just deeply enough to make him bleed a bit more than was comfortable. As soon as Toby was gone, Sweeney stood up and placed a hand to his throat, slowing the flow a bit. When the blood finished pouring, he stood and stared at his wife's body. Suddenly, he heard quiet sobs. He spun on his heel and glanced around. His eyes stopped when he saw Mrs. Lovett's quivering form beside the oven.

Sweeney strode over and glanced in the oven. He swore when he saw that there were no flames crackling within, only darkness. In his anger, he had imagined Mrs. Lovett being consumed by the fire. Instead, here she was, crying while she sat in a pool of Lucy's blood.

He made a small noise of disgust and she looked up. A fleeting expression of joy at finding her Mr. T alive crossed her white face before terror replaced it. Sweeney knelt down and hissed, "Why are you still alive?"


	2. Explanations

Sweeney stared as a frightened Mrs. Lovett drained the rest of the amber liquid. He hand shook as she placed the glass back on the ancient wooden table. "Well?" growled the barber, his black eyes boring into her. "_Why_, precisely, are you alive?"

She cleared her throat. "I, erm, disposed of that beadle…then I put the fire out…didn't want Toby 'aving too much fun with the oven, did I?"

She gulped. Sweeney continued glaring as he hissed, "_Why did you lie to me?_"

Still shaking, Mrs. Lovett stared down at her hands. "I-I was only thinking of you, Mr. T, I promise," she pleaded.

He glared. "More, woman!"

She sighed. "Your Lucy went mad. She didn't even remember who she was."

"I knew that."

Mrs. Lovett sighed. This would be difficult. Who wanted to be told that their wife had, well…

"She didn't remember who you were."

He stared, horrified. "Liar," he said in a low voice.

Mrs. Lovett shook her head anxiously. "No, Mr. T, please listen to me. I promise you, she forgot. After the judge…well…'e…got 'er, she took to drinking. Two bottles- of gin- a day. And, well…it got to her."

She glanced up, wincing, afraid of what he would do. Sweeney was sitting ramrod straight, eyes shut, his fists clenched. Tears came to Mrs. Lovett's eyes as she watched the man suffer. But she had to continue.

"She stopped taking care of Johanna. I became the child's mummy. She just sat and stared, muttering and swigging. I tried to tell 'er, it wasn't no good, she'd just get worse, but she was too drunk. Then one day, I come up there to get Johanna out of 'er cradle, and there she was, 'olding a bottle of poison. I tried to beg her, tried to tell her stop, but she just shook 'er 'ead. 'Please,' I said, 'think about Benjamin. Wot'll 'e say?' She just stared and scowled. 'Wot about Johanna?' I said. She glared and said, 'Shut up, you'- she called me a nasty name then-, 'I know what I'm doing.' And then, well… you know the rest."

Mrs. Lovett watched as Sweeney ran his hand through his bloodied hair. A single tear ran down his nose. She reached out a gentle finger to catch the drop. She was horrified to see that the clear liquid was mixed with dark red blood.

They sat in silence for a while, the barber and the baker, waiting until the moment came that they were forced to move. Finally Mrs. Lovett sighed and said, "Well, we'd best find Toby now. Wot do you say, love?"

Sweeney nodded fractionally. She stood patiently as he dragged himself away from the table, his head still bowed in sorrow. "Come 'ere, love, we'll just see if 'e's come back yet."

The duo made their way slowly down the steps into the baking cellar. A terrified Toby stood staring at the bloodied bodies sprawled on the floor. White-faced, he glanced up at Mrs. Lovett. Shock registered on his face before he raced to her side. Toby clung to her, sobbing into her side. Then he glanced up, his swollen eyes slits, and said, "He did this, I told you, mum. He's a-a _bad man_."

Mrs. Lovett shushed him and gently wiped away his tears. "No, Toby, those two…um…got in a fight. The man, 'e killed his wife, and then 'imself."

"What about the finger in the pie, then?"

"That was…an April Fool's joke for you, love. I hid it down here. It was fake, I promise. Now, apologize to Mr. T, please."

Toby obliged. Sweeney stared at him, his face whiter than usual, and gave another tiny nod. Mrs. Lovett took their hands and led them gently upstairs into the light.


	3. Meetings

"This family meeting will now be called to order

"This family meeting will now be called to order."

Mrs. Lovett beamed at her two boys sitting at the large oak table. Toby grinned back; Sweeney just scowled. A month after that fateful night, Toby was finally beginning to accept Mr. Todd. Mrs. Lovett had quietly taken the boy aside one day after Mr. Todd had yelled at him. She explained that it was very difficult for Mr. Todd, that he had seen the whole fight and it had shaken him rather badly. Toby accepted this lie and tried his best to make nice with Sweeney. Unfortunately, Mrs. Lovett had neglected to tell the barber about the story, so Sweeney was very surprised when he woke up one morning to see Toby staring at him.

Sweeney glared as Mrs. Lovett led the "family" meeting. He still didn't understand why he had to be part of her family. Whenever he complained, she would say angrily, "Mr. T, you've got to stop living in the past. Me'n Toby, we're 'ere for you now."

He scowled even harder when Mrs. Lovett chastised him for daydreaming during the meeting. Sighing, Sweeney slumped onto the table. Would it ever end?

Mrs. Lovett glared at him until he slowly pulled away from the table. Then she smiled sweetly and said, "Now, Mr. T, wot do you say to us op'ning back up in a week or so? I think I'm going to try being a nice reg'lar baker, no more meat pies. Wot do you say to that?"

"Fine, fine," he mumbled. "Whatever you say."

Mrs. Lovett's brow furrowed and said, her teeth clenched, "Toby, dear, why don't you leave me an' Mr. T 'ere for a moment to discuss some...adult things?"

"Yes, mum!"

The boy scurried away to play by himself again. As soon as he was out of earshot, Mrs. Lovett grabbed Sweeney's ear and gave it a hard twist. He yelped and glared, his eyes watering. "What was that for?"

"That was for you not caring about wot 'appens to me and Toby! I've told you before, if we want to stay 'appy like we are now, you've got to cooperate!"

He sighed. "But I'm not happy."

Mrs. Lovett looked sadly at the man. Indeed, he had not seemed happy since that night. She patted him gently on the arm. "I know…it's not easy, love. But if you even want a chance to be 'appy, you've got to start living again. Life is for the alive, my dear."

Sweeney gave her the most minute of smiles. "So let's keep living it."

She smiled gently. "That's right, dear. So, wot do you think about reopening soon? Like I said, I'll just bake reg'lar cakes and things, and you can be a barber again. Not a demon one, mind, just a nice respectable one. Wot do you say, love?"

He sighed. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

**A/N: Yes, I know it's short. And not too action-packed; sorry. That's the way I write: little bits at a time. I hope you're liking the story so far. Reviews and reads are luffed, dearies.**


	4. Openings

Mrs

Mrs. Lovett hummed cheerfully as she rolled out the crust for another pie. Carefully she measured it, then lifted it gently into the waiting pie pan. She grabbed an apple and a knife and began slicing. Sweeney came thumping down the stairs, muttering to himself. When he saw Mrs. Lovett, he said angrily, "We haven't even had one customer today!"

"That's because we open tomorrow, dear."

"Oh."

He stomped back up the stairs. Mrs. Lovett hid her smile until he was gone, then burst into a fit of laughter. _Poor Mr. T_, she thought. _He can hardly remember his own name, his head's so full of new thoughts._ She giggled again as she remembered what he had looked like this morning, when he looked at himself in an uncracked mirror for the first time in years. He had sucked in his breath. Mrs. Lovett had thought she would die of laughter at the expression on his pale face. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

She continued with her baking, carefully placing the apple slices in a neat spiral in the pie pan. Sweeney came stomping back down, roaring, "Mrs. Lovett! Where are you?"

"Right 'ere, love."

He scowled and muttered something that sounded oddly like "banana". Mrs. Lovett raised her eyebrows. "Wot was that, love?"

"I said _muttermumblemutter_ banana!"

She sighed. "Mr. T, you'll 'ave to speak up. Me old ears ain't wot they used to be."

This time Sweeney sighed. "I said, isn't it odd that Johanna rhymes with banana?"

"Erm…"

He snorted. "She 'as yellow hair. Like a banana."

Finally she understood. "Ohhh! Well, I understand now, Mr. T. I must say that is rather odd."

Sweeney watched her roll out the top crust of the pie. Suddenly his hand darted out and snatched an apple slice. He popped it in his mouth and chewed slowly, frowning, as if he was trying to remember something and it was proving difficult. He swallowed hard, then reached out for another slice. Mrs. Lovett popped him hard on the hand with her rolling pin. She glared at him and snapped, "One's enough, love. You'll ruin the pie!"

He just smirked and grabbed a slice. When she protested, he pushed it into her unsuspecting mouth. She gagged and managed to force it down. Her eyes watered and she said angrily, "Wot was that for?"

"For having a smart mouth."

Sweeney patted her flushed cheek and marched back upstairs. Mrs. Lovett swore angrily as she resumed making her pie. "Well," she muttered, "I s'pose two slices won't 'urt. And it did taste rather nice."

Humming once more, she resumed her task.

Mrs. Lovett awoke early the next morning. Quickly she dressed and then bustled upstairs to help Sweeney get set up. She found him sitting sulkily in his barber's chair. She sighed huffily and said, "Mr. T, you'd better get ready. Customers'll be 'ere soon, you know."

He frowned and said irritably, "Well, tell 'em to go away. I ain't shaving no one today."

"Why ever not?"

He pointed angrily at his hair. "It looks almost as bad as yours!"

Mrs. Lovett slapped his cheek, looking hurt. "Do you know 'ow long it takes me to curl it just so?"

Sweeney sighed miserably. "Well, you like yours. I don't like mine!"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "'Ere, 'and me that water pitcher, and I'll see wot I can do."

Mrs. Lovett poured a bit of water on top of his head. Sweeney clenched his teeth as a cold droplet slid down the back of his neck. Goosebumps rose on his skin as Mrs. Lovett pressed down on his black curls, sending more water down his collar. After what seemed like an eternity of cold water freezing his scalp, she said happily, "Now, 'ow's that, love?"

He examined his reflection and winced. Now instead of his hair looking wild, it just looked soggy. Sweeney sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that morning. "It'll do. Now leave me here and I'll get ready to open."

Mrs. Lovett nodded and quickly reentered her own shop. She popped a cherry pie into the small oven she had recently installed behind the counter and turned to see her first customer. "Good morning, dearie," she said cheerfully. "Wot can I get for you?"

The woman paused. Finally she said, "What's fresh?"  
"I've got a blackberry pie just out of the oven. Is that good?"

The woman beamed. "That's my husband's favorite! He's upstairs right now, getting a-"

Both women jumped as they heard a scream from above. The lady cried out and raced up the steps, Mrs. Lovett at her heels. They found Sweeney standing horrified over a man's body. The man was wincing as he gingerly touched the nick on his chin. His wife gasped and said, "Oh, Horace, we'll get you home and bandage it right up!"

Mrs. Lovett said anxiously, "Oh, ma'am, I'm dreadfully sorry. I'm sure Mr. T 'ere didn't mean for it to 'appen."

The woman smiled. "I'm sure he didn't, but I don't think it's best that Horace finishes getting shaved."

"Oh, of course not. I'm so sorry. Please forgive Mr. T, and 'ave a lovely day."

As soon as the couple exited, Sweeney fell into the chair. Sweat beaded on his forehead and Mrs. Lovett said, sounding scared, "Wot's wrong? Wot 'appened?"

He stared at something that wasn't there and said hoarsely, "That man's a bobby. They're looking for evidence about Judge Turpin's murder. They come to Fleet Street tomorrow."


	5. Questioning

Mrs

Mrs. Lovett sat perfectly straight, staring at the man who sat before her. Her face was pale and her voice was shaking, but still she answered his questions.

The man had come, just like Horace had said, to interrogate Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney, searching for clues that would lead him to the solution of the judge's murder. He had come early this morning, and questioned Sweeney first before turning to Mrs. Lovett.

"Now, ma'am, we have proof that Judge Turpin came here for a shave. Did he, or did he not?"

"'E did, that's for sure."

"Approximately what time, Mrs. Lovett?"

"I'd say abou' seven thirty a' night."

"Did he leave?"

"'E sure did, said 'e was goin' 'ome. I don' know where 'e wen' then."  
"Well, he never went home."

"Tha' so?"

The interrogation had been going on for two hours now, and Sweeney knew that Mrs. Lovett might crack under the pressure. He was amazed that she had been able to convince the bobby this far. She really was a bloody wonder.

Sweeney gazed around the room. Toby was still sleeping off the effects of the bottle of gin he had drunk the night before. Mrs. Lovett was sitting by Sweeney at the table in the kitchen, and the bobby sat across from them. He glanced over at Mrs. Lovett. She was still looking the bobby in the eye after all this time. Sweeney couldn't help but admire her courage. Surreptitiously he grabbed her hand under the table. She squeezed his hand and her voice grew stronger.

Finally, after what seemed to Sweeney to be an eternity, the bobby cleared his throat and said, "Well, that's that, then. You two don't seem to be very guilty. I apologize for wasting your time. Good day."

He tipped his hat and marched back outside. As soon as the door slammed shut, Mrs. Lovett burst into tears and clung to Sweeney. Bewildered, he just sat still for a moment before patting her awkwardly on the back. After a few minutes, she quieted and leaned away. "Oh, I'm 'orribly sorry, Mr. T, it's just…oh, it's 'orrible, 'avin to be treated like a common criminal, when you ain't done nothin'! Well…maybe I did do a little, but still! It ain't much fun."

Sweeney stared at her for a moment before saying very quietly, "I know, Mrs. Lovett. I've been there, too, and it's not fun."

She gave a small gasp and started to cry again. "Oh, Mr. T, I forgot! 'Ow silly of me, to forge' that. Oh, I shouldn't 'ave brought it up!"

Sighing in exasperation, Sweeney took her in his arms again and let her cry into his shoulder. "Mrs. Lovett, don't be stupid. It's all right. Honestly, woman, it doesn't matter!"

Her reply was rather muffled, but her thought he heard her accuse him of lying. He snorted in irritation. "You foolish nit, I don't lie! Here I was thinking how brave you were, and then you start blubbering all over my new shirt!"

Immediately the baker sat up, gazing at him adoringly. "D'you really mean that, Mr. T?"

"Yes, Mrs. Lovett."

She beamed and hugged him close. He rolled his eyes. What was it with this mad woman who felt the need to cling to him? Not that he minded…

Sweeney shook himself. How could he think such things, when he knew it was disloyal to Lucy?

And then he remembered- Lucy wasn't loyal to him. She had forgotten him.

So he permitted Mrs. Lovett to cling to him, letting her chatter away while he only half-listened, trying to figure out _exactly_ how he felt about her.

Sweeney was surprised to find that he did care about this woman who had always loved him. Maybe…maybe it _was_ okay to love her back.

Slowly, hesitantly, he bent his neck a bit and gave her a quick kiss on the top of the head. Mrs. Lovett sucked in her breath and stared at the man. He was studying her face, frowning slightly, as if he didn't know what to do. She cleared her throat and said, "Wot was that for, love?"

He just scowled and said, "What was what for?"

Mrs. Lovett smiled inwardly. She knew he hadn't forgotten.

**A/N: Fluff fluff fluff! Okay, so maybe not that much fluff- yet. Heehee. Hopefully I'm not rushing Sweeney falling in love. I'm trying hard not to. Is it working?**


	6. Reuniting

Two weeks had passed since the interrogation

Two weeks had passed since the interrogation. For once, the sun graced London with its presence. Mrs. Lovett leaned out the window, greedily breathing the fresh June air. She heard the bell ring and, sighing, closed the window and stepped downstairs to the pie shop.

A young couple was standing there. Mrs. Lovett looked them over. One was a pretty young lady, with wide, soft blue eyes. She gasped when she recognized the man who had his arm around her shoulders.

"Why, Anthony 'ope! I 'aven't seen you in weeks! Wot's been 'appening wiv you?"

He grinned and said, "I've gone and married Johanna. I came to tell Mr. Todd."

"Oh- I'll- erm- I'll go get 'im, then."

Mrs. Lovett raced to the back of the house, screeching, "Mr. T! Somebody's 'ere to see you!"

The barber came stomping and scowling into the parlor. "What? What's happening?"

She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him into the pie shop. When Johanna saw him, she gave a small cry and buried her face in Anthony's shoulder. He looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Todd, she had a nightmare where you were covered in blood and threatened to kill her. She still hasn't gotten over it."

Sweeney just stood still for a moment before clearing his throat and saying, "Well, do tell her I'm terribly sorry to have haunted her so. I promise, I'm quite harmless."

Johanna stepped away from Anthony and looked questioningly at Sweeney. "You look…familiar. Like an old friend that I thought was lost. It's something…something about your eyes."

She stared at him a moment longer before exclaiming, "Oh!"

Carefully she pulled on a silver chain that hung around her neck. A small locket hung from the end. Gently Johanna pried it open and held it up towards Sweeney for him to examine.

Inside the locket were two pictures. On the left was a pretty woman with long curls. On the right was a laughing man holding a tiny baby. Sweeney stared and said hoarsely, "You still have that?"

Johanna looked confused. "What do you mean, Mr. Todd?"

"Me and Lucy…we gave that to you for your first birthday. I put those pictures in myself."

"Do you mean…do you mean that that's you, on the right?"

"Yes, that's me. On the left is your mum."

Now Johanna looked rather dazed. "Then…then…you're my…_father_."

Sweeney gave small nod. Johanna hesitated a moment before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his chest. He sucked in his breath and then ever so gently put his arms around her small frame. Mrs. Lovett watched, beaming. Anthony looked confused. "Are- are you really her father?"

Sweeney nodded again, and Anthony burst out laughing. "Well, this is odd. I've gone and married my best friend's daughter."

"_Married_?" said a very shocked Sweeney.

Johanna removed herself from his embrace and said happily, "For three weeks now, Mr.-er, I mean, Father."

Sweeney's eyes misted over for a moment. He blinked rapidly and said, "That's wonderful, pet. Where are you going to live?"

This time Anthony answered. "That's what we came here to say. Judge Turpin left Johanna his house in his will. We've only just moved in yesterday. I wanted to let you know how close we were. Isn't it grand?"

Sweeney beamed. "Yes, Anthony, I'd say it is _very_ grand."

**A/N: Aw! They meet again. Isn't it ****grand****? Oh- next chapter, get ready to go to the beautiful briny! **


	7. Thinking

A/N: I forgot to say that I don't own anything

**A/N: I forgot to say that I don't own anything. Oops. Well, none of it's mine. I don't own Sweeneypoo or Mrs. Lovett or Toby or Johanna or Anthony. All I own is Horace and his wife.**

Mrs. Lovett hummed happily as she twirled around the pie shop, grabbing the ingredients to make a raspberry pie. She didn't even know why she was in a good mood, though she had a funny suspicion that it had to do with Sweeney's improved mood. After meeting Johanna, he had cheered up considerably, even consenting to help Mrs. Lovett bake once in a while.

And, of course, she couldn't help but be happy that he had kissed her. True, it had been a month ago, and, also true, it was just a peck on the top of the head, but she continued replaying it over and over in her mind. She closed her eyes for a moment and pictured the expression on his face just after he had kissed her. Sighing happily, she resumed her job.

Sweeney stomped down the stairs, a black look on his face. Mrs. Lovett, oblivious to this, exclaimed happily, "Good morning, Mr. T! 'Owr'e you doin' on this fine day?"

He just glared at her. Mrs. Lovett, still ignoring his obvious irritation, said cheerily, "Wot would you like for breakfast, Mr. T?"

Sweeney swore loudly. Mrs. Lovett gasped and chastised him. "Mr. T, wot 'ave I said about swearin'? It sets a bad example for Toby!"

Sullenly Sweeney said, "I'll say what I want, when I want, thank you. Now leave me alone."

He stomped back upstairs, leaving a puzzled Mrs. Lovett behind without a trace of her earlier joy.

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Sweeney flung himself into his barber's chair, muttering something about privacy. His brow furrowed, and he buried himself in thoughts about Johanna and Mrs. Lovett.

He scolded himself for not being happier about his little girl getting married. But that was just it- she was _his_ little girl, no one else's. Anthony had no right to take her away like that.

But Johanna had _wanted_ to be taken. She loved Anthony. Grudgingly Sweeney admitted to himself that maybe it was what was best for his daughter. That still didn't make it hurt any less. It didn't seem fair that the one thing that was his was taken as soon as he regained it. Now nothing was left for the no-longer-demonic barber of Fleet Street.

Or maybe he did have something. Mrs. Lovett still loved him, after all. Did he love her back? Was she just a friend, an acquaintance, an annoyance that had to be dealt with? Sweeney abruptly stood up and began pacing.

True, he had kissed her. True, he had enjoyed it. But did that mean he loved her? If he did love her, what should he do next? Should he tell her, or wait to see if he really did love her? Did it even matter?

Sweeney turned and began to walk back in the direction if he had come from, following the tracks his feet had made all these sleepless nights all these many, many months. Just as he turned to begin the loop again, he felt a sudden weightlessness and then everything went black.

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Mrs. Lovett was downstairs feeding Toby when she heard the thump. "Toby, love," she said anxiously, "now you just stay 'ere, an' I'll see wot Mr. T's doing, all right?"

The boy nodded. "Yes'm, I'll stay right 'ere an' wait for you."

She beamed and kissed his cheek before going out the front door and up the steps. She knocked on the door. When no one came, she opened it and called, "Mr. T? Where are you?"

No answer came. Now Mrs. Lovett was really worried. "Mr. T? I ain't playing games wiv you. Where are you?"

Still nothing. She walked in and squinted around the dark room. She noticed a dark lump in the middle of the floor. Hurrying over, she found that the lump was Sweeney, with a dark bruise spreading across his forehead and a gash on his temple, still dripping crimson blood. Mrs. Lovett gasped. "Oh, Mr. T, you clumsy, useless thing, you've gone an' tripped over nothing!"

She reached into the pocket of her apron and extracted a white handkerchief. Carefully she dabbed at the cut on his head until the bleeding stopped. Then she sat there and waited until the barber came to.

He did so only a few minutes later. "What happened?" he asked groggily. "Where am I?"

He struggled to sit up. Wincing, he felt his forehead. "Ow!"  
Mrs. Lovett soothed him gently. "It's all right, Mr. T. You're up 'ere in your shop. You tripped."  
Sweeney sighed. "I remember."

"Wot were you doing?"

"Thinking."  
Mrs. Lovett sighed and patted his head, careful not to touch the bruise. "That's all you've been doing lately, love. Is that why you were mad at me this morning?"

"I was thinking about you."

She sighed and stroked his hand very gently. "Mr. T, you've got to stop thinking an' start doin' something. You've kept your shop closed since the day we opened! Maybe all you need is a vacation."

**A/N: Okay, so maybe they're not at the sea yet. That'll be next chapter, I promise!**


	8. Dunking

Sweeney stared queasily out the window of the carriage, wishing that he could smash the glass and safely free his stomach of the burden he carried

Sweeney stared queasily out the window of the carriage, wishing that he could smash the glass and safely free his stomach of the burden he carried. He sucked in a deep breath of refreshing cool air and felt better- until the train turned sharply again. He groaned miserably and Mrs. Lovett patted his arm. "There, there, love, only an hour or so 'til we get to the sea, an' you'll feel much better."

He could not imagine why he had agreed to it. Mrs. Lovett had pleaded with him to leave his barber shop for a few weeks so that he could relax and get some fresh air. He had consented, mostly because she had threatened to use force. But something about the thought of the sea was appealing, something about the way the waves were in perpetual motion, always coming in and out, the most reliable things on earth. Unfortunately, the train ride was proving rather unreliable, as the train kept screeching and squealing and jerking around bends, and leaving Sweeney feeling battered, bruised, and very, very sick.

Toby, on the other hand, was enjoying the trip immensely. Sweeney envied the lad- he actually jumped up and down and _cheered_ when the train flung him around in his seat. "Come on, Mr. Todd!" he kept exclaiming. "It's brilliant fun! Just stand up an' jump!"

Whenever he said this, Sweeney replied by acting as if he was about to vomit all over Toby, who fell for it every time. Mrs. Lovett just laughed merrily and cheered Toby on, telling him that eventually Mr. T would oblige.

"Come on, Mr. Todd! It's brilliant fun! Just get up!"

Sweeney rolled his eyes. He knew that he would eventually have to join the boy in his antics, so it might as well be now. Slowly he pulled himself out of the seat and stuck his arms out for balance before walking carefully over to Toby. The boy grinned and said, "That's the spirit, Mr. Todd! Isn't it fun?"

Sweeney had to admit that it was rather fun. True, many things were very preferable, but this would have to do until they made it to Brighton, their final destination. He jumped towards Toby just as the train swung around another curve. Laughing, he watched as Toby fell into Mrs. Lovett's lap causing her to laugh along with Sweeney, who laughed so hard he lost his balance and fell into the seat. The other passengers just stared at the mad family and tittered when Toby fell onto the floor.

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………..

Mrs. Lovett sniffed the salty air and sighed happily. "Well, 'ere we are, loves!" she said happily to Sweeney and Toby. "We're at the sea!"

Toby cheered, but Sweeney just scowled. He knew he was going to end up toting all of Mrs. Lovett's luggage. It wasn't fair that she had packed three bags while he and Toby shared one. _"Women_" he hissed under his breath.

"Wot was that, love?"

"Nothing, Mrs. Lovett, just breathing the fresh air."

Toby snorted quietly. Mrs. Lovett raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, we'd best be gettin' on over to the little 'ouse I've rented. Mr. T, would you mind gettin' the bags?"

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Toby raced across the sand, whooping with joy. Mrs. Lovett followed close behind him, with Sweeney by her side. The barber was rubbing his arms and muttering sullenly about something that sounded oddly like "slave labor". Mrs. Lovett laughed and swatted his arm, making him wince. "Come on, love, you'll feel much better when you get in the water. Jus' try it, please?"

He groaned and dragged his feet through the sand until they reached the edge of the water. Mrs. Lovett hopped right into the water, laughing when she splashed Toby. "'Urry up, Mr. T, we're waitin'!"

Sweeney groaned and poked a toe into the cold water. "There."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, yanking on it until he fell in. Spluttering, he said angrily, "What was that for?"

Toby splashed over and dunked Sweeney, who responded by tackling Toby and dunking him three times in a row until he begged for mercy. Mrs. Lovett laughed at the pair. "You two sillies ain't got no more sense'n a drunken pelican!"

Smirking, Sweeney sneaked up behind her and dunked her. She came up squealing and blinking hard to rid her eyes of the burning water. "Well, if you're goin' to act like that, I won' play along!"

Furiously she stomped out of the water, her arms crossed over her chest. "Oh, no, please stay, mum," cried Toby. "It ain't no fun without you, ain't that right, Mr. Todd?"

The barber quickly erased the smile from his face. "Er, yes, of course, right you are, Toby."

Mrs. Lovett rolled her eyes as she daintily reentered the ocean. "Well, now that we're nice and settled 'ere in the water, why don' we jus' sit 'ere nice and quiet-like an'-"

Any further speech was lost when Sweeney dunked her again.

**A/N: So that's by the sea: part 1. Hope you liked it! Please vote in the poll on my profile; it's very important for later chapters. Very, ****very**** important.**


	9. Watching

Sweeney stared, squinting, at the sunset

Sweeney stared, squinting, at the sunset. The fiery red sun was almost below the horizon, but its rays still painted glorious hues of pink and orange across the sky. It was easily the most beautiful thing Sweeney had seen this whole trip.

He glanced over at Mrs. Lovett, who was gazing dreamily at the sun's reflection on the water while absentmindedly stroking a sleeping Toby's head. She looked at Sweeney and smiled. "'Ello, love. It's beautiful, ain't it?"

He nodded. "Very."

Together the two watched the sun slowly sink down, taking with it the vibrant colors that had painted the sky and leaving behind a velvet blackness. Mrs. Lovett smiled again when she saw the first star appear. "Tha's Sirius, you know, Mr. T, the dog star. Been me favorite since I was a little girl."

Sweeney nodded mutely. Slowly the other stars began to appear, forming constellations as they came, Orion, Draco, Cassiopeia- he knew them all by name. He suddenly felt the need to teach Mrs. Lovett.

"Mrs. Lovett?"

"Hmm?"

"Look at that star you like, Sirius. Now look just above and to the right…there, what I'm pointing at. Do you see a man?"

"No, looks more like a drum."

"Yes, I know, but that's Orion, the hunter."

"Oh! I see… how's 'e supposed to be a man?"

"That's his belt, see?"

"Ooo…tha's lovely, Mr. T. Where'd you learn this?"

He shrugged. "Just…school, I guess. I honestly don't remember."

Mrs. Lovett fell backwards onto the checkered picnic blanket they'd been sitting on for the majority of the afternoon. "It's so pretty…an' big."

Sweeney flopped back, too. "It looks quite nice from here, with nothing blocking your view."

She nodded minutely. "Yes…it's like there's nothing else but you an' the sky."

Yawning, she rolled onto her side and murmured sleepily, "Mr. T, I'm feeling rather tired…"

She stopped. Sweeney pulled himself upright and watched a smile spread across her sleeping face. He had to admit, she really was quite pretty when she was so peaceful like this, when she wasn't worrying about him and Toby or running the pie shop or trying to keep everything neat and orderly. He watched as a single reddish-brown curl floated above her nose when she breathed. Catching it in his long, pale fingers, he gently tucked it behind her ear. She stirred, and he froze, but she simply smiled wider and lay still again.

Drawing his knees up to his chest, Sweeney sat staring at Mrs. Lovett and Toby. They were so happy, so glad to finally be a real family.

He chastised himself for forgetting his real family. Johanna. And Anthony now, of course. But how was he a part of two incomplete families. Sweeney thought about this for a moment when it hit him that maybe he was the connector, the one that kept everything together. He was Johanna's father, Toby's adopted sort-of-father, Anthony's father…

But was he only a father? What was he to Mrs. Lovett? A friend, a brother, simply a helper? Maybe he was no more than a nuisance. No, that couldn't be true; otherwise she'd never have that look in her eyes when she saw him.

Did he look like that when he saw her?

Watching Mrs. Lovett again, he couldn't help but wonder if he too looked like that. Of course, he had loved Lucy, but she was so long gone, so unfaithful, he knew he no longer felt that way. Who did he love now.

Sweeney puzzled over this for a moment before finally making up his mind. Gently he shook Mrs. Lovett's shoulder until, blinking blearily, she said sleepily, "Wot is it, love, wot's 'appening?"

Solemnly he said, "Mrs. Lovett, I do believe I love you."

**A/N: Heh. You know you love me. :P Sorry for the uber long wait; it took me forever to figure out how to put this chapter into words. More soooooon!**


	10. Deciding

Mrs. Lovett turned and buried her face in Sweeney's shoulder. Absentmindedly he patted her cheek, and a smile brightened her pale features. She yawned and closed her eyes. In a few minutes, she was fast asleep. Sweeney stared over her head out the compartment's window. It was pouring down rain. As he watched, a bolt of lightning struck a distant point, filling the sky with crackling light before fizzling into a large clap of thunder. Toby, wide-eyed, gave a start at the noise. He cowered into the seat, staring anxiously all around the cabin. Sweeney groaned and said, "Calm down, boy, it's just a bit of thunder."

Toby gulped and gave a quick nod then squeezed his eyes shut. Sweeney shuddered. Why that woman loved that cowardly little wretch was beyond him. Ah well; he would have to put up with it from now on.

He could not believe how quickly and utterly his life had changed. Only two weeks after that night on the beach, here he was going back home to London, completely and madly in love, with his landlady. Happily, she loved him back; he would have no trouble persuading her to marry him. First, of course, he would have to find the perfect ring. Not too gaudy, but not plain. Only the most beautiful of bands would grace his lady's delicate finger.

Never before had he thought of what he would do if he found himself irrevocably in love like this once more- only this time, knowing precisely how precious time was. That was why he felt an uncomfortable nagging constantly at the back of his mind telling him to hurry up and get on one knee already. But still...it would be hard to justify himself proposing after only a few weeks after declaring himself in love. He had tried to slow down the relationship, to keep his head cool, but he loved her so...

The object of his affections stirred slightly by his side. He froze; she quieted; he patted her hair once more before continuing to think on the matter.

He thought hard; he didn't even stop thinking when Mrs. Lovett woke up, nor when the conducter called, "Next stop, London!" nor even while they stretched and shuffled off the train.

It was when they stood in front of the shop while Mrs. Lovett unlocked the door that Sweeney decided he would propose the day after another joyous occasion. As they made their way inside, he glanced at the calendar.

Written on the square marked "June 14th", he counted one, two, three weeks ahead. Written on July 7th's square in Mrs. Lovett's spiky handwriting was "Johanna & Anthony- wedding".

He would propose on July 8th.


	11. Buying

**A/N: Guess what? I'm a complete idiot and forgot to explain something crucial: Mrs. Lovett, being a hopeless romantic, decided that even though Anthony and Johanna were married, she'd give them a real wedding. That's what Sweeney is proposing after.**

**Oops.**

**Anyway, sorry for the delay. I got busy with existence, and, well...hope you like this chapter!**

Rain poured down, smashing into the already flooded streets, rapping against windows, and crushing into the one person foolish enough to be on the street. At least he had an umbrella; perhaps he was just trying to get home.

In actuality, Sweeney Todd was, after four hours of wandering, attempting to find a decent jeweler's. He had already searched five shops, but nothing was suitable. Scowling, he lifted the umbrella a little bit higher. He peered into every window, his expression getting darker and darker everytime something other than a shimmering display of rings filled a window. Finally, he found one shop that appeared suitable and stomped in.

An ancient, pale old man stood behind a lone counter. Sweeney marched up and said, "I'm looking for a ring."

"Of what sort?"

"It most be absolutely glorious. It must have a minimum of two stones. It must be delicate, elegant, beautiful, dazzling, eyecatching, unique, and perfect in every way."

"Oh, so you're looking for an engagement ring!"  
"Not just any engagement ring. Besides being what I just stated, it must also be obvious, but understated. It must not be gaudy, but enough to catch the eye of everyone in the room. It has to be _the ring_."

The old man gave a half smile. "Follow me."

He led Sweeney to a back room. The man sorted through hundreds of dusty boxes and, with an exultant cry, held up a battered white box. He pinched the lid open, saying happily, "Designed this one myself. Knew only a special lady would deserve it."

Sweeney peered inside. For the first time that day, a smile broke out on his face.

He paid quickly and strode outside. Before opening his umbrella, he paused. A thoughtful look filled his eyes, and then he cast the umbrella to the side and walked happily down the street, face turned up to catch the rain.

**Lol, short, but it popped in my head and wouldn't go. And the wedding needs a lot of thought. And its own chapter. **


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